Cold

Weather forecasts can change. I know that. In theory I know that. But lately they've been so steady holding fast to predictions that ultimately pan out with such precise accuracy that I let myself forget that things change, weather patterns shift and yesterday's forecast of sunshine and warmth may be today's snowstorm.

Buying roses has always been a balancing act. There's the price: if a sale of very desirable, hard-to-get plants materializes, you're loathe (okay, I'm loathe) to pass it by. If a rose has been out of stock and suddenly a few pop up at your favorite nursery -- same. If a new one appears and it checks all the boxes and then some (disease resistant, zone 5, cupped blooms which I adore, pastel colors, perfect height, very fragrant, bred by David Austin in England, Meilland in France, or Kordes or Tantau from Germany) well then, my heart starts to race. 

But I always check the weather for the next ten days before buying, because I live in Wisconsin and five years ago we had a snowstorm on Halloween. 

As you know, it's been an exceptionally warm Fall for us here in south central Wisconsin. One night with a very light patchy frost. That's it. As you can see from my photos, many plants, ones that should be in full dormancy, are, instead, blooming. Since I am confident that we wont get a deep freeze (where the temps stay below freezing, with no real daytime warm up, for several days in a row) until mid December or even later, I let myself ignore the possibility that it is too late to plant. The massive sales, as rose farms transition from selling potted plants to bare root roses for spring planting, proved to be too much for me. I could not turn away. Indeed, I usually buy a plant with an idea as to where I should put it. The last four roses purchased? I have no idea where they should go. 

Oh, there's space still. I lifted sod in a wide strip to make room for dahlias. I could simply intersperse the roses with the dahlias, but this makes me squirm. The size differential bothers me (the dahlias will be tall, the roses are of the medium type and the first year there wont be much there at all). The dahlias may shade out baby rose bushes, which would be disastrous. Both are heavy feeders -- real nutrient thieves, so keeping them happy wouldn't be easy. But if not plant in the dahlia bed, then where?

And worse still: as of today, it is cold.

It is not sunny.

There is a wind chill.

It will not go above 40F/4C.

There will be frost tonight, tomorrow night, and the night after.

Now, I could get lucky. After days of Arctic Blast air (because that's what it is), we may return to the pattern thus far -- unseasonably warm(ish) temps in the day, no frost at night. The weather forecasters float this as a real possibility. But what we have right now is not good. Not good at all.

Morning walk? I wish I had a photo of bits of sleet on Millie's fur: white on white.

Breakfast was cozy. 

(Millie, did you bring your somewhat tattered and now nose-less French doll for me?)

 

 

 (No, but you can play with her for a minute. I'm busy with something else.)

 

 

I return home to face the music. Roses still in transit. All 14 of them. Two will go in pots, so they're not as vulnerable, though the rule of thumb is that if you have a choice -- pot or ground for the winter, choose ground. But they're both zone 6, so I cant choose ground.

I do a final mow for the year. You should aim for 2.5 inch tall winter grass. Can I count on it not growing more this year? I think so.

I clean the mower for storage feeling so grateful that it is battery powered and not full of that gas and oil gunk that stinks and is dirty. And I tidy the garage, laying down cardboard in the back for the now 8 big pots that will come in for the winter. And I move another perennial to make room. And I look around for good planting options for the four (of the 14) roses that currently have no place to go. They wont arrive until next week. Plenty of time to fret!

And in the afternoon I pick up Snowdrop. She runs when she sees my car.

 

 

It's quite the reunion. She's not a huggy girl, at least not at this age, but today she is huggy. This girl needs my quiet listening ear. I try to temper some of her angst about a change in plans for her (this is for next year, with no immediate consequences), but really, I know that my role can only be that of a listener. I let her know that I feel her pain. Because I do. More than she could ever know.

And we go to the bookstore where she can lose herself in a new book, over hot chocolate.

At 5:30, we pick up Millie. Plenty of hugs and cuddles for the little pup. Snowdrop and Sparrow both love animals deeply and it shows. I'm glad, for both of them. Companionship, guaranteed!

Millie and I come home. I watch my crime drama show (on Season 6 of the Closer -- I just enjoy the characters developed in the series). My email has been down all day so my writing is limited to Ocean. And my Rose Book. I hate the idea of waking up to a hundred unread emails tomorrow, but then maybe Microsoft wont fix it by then and I will be computer and phone free once more! A momentary reprieve means a later stockpile of tedium and headaches. 

Last night I worked until 2 a.m. on my holiday greetings. Finally. It took me a while to feel inspired this year, and once I started, I did not want to put it down until I was done. Tonight? I'm aiming for bed before midnight. Let's hope that my email doesn't get restored before then or it'll be an all nighter for me for sure.

with so much love...